Business & Management

Top Salespeople – Marketing Muscles Flex During Recession or Down Economy

If you watch television or listen to the radio, there is no escaping the recession talk. It's a comedy of sorts really. Think about it. Your sales day went along smoothly. You may have gotten a new client, a new prospect, a potential joint venture partner. Then, before or after dinner, the media tells you it did not go well!

My husband always has the TV on. He's undatedly vaccinated against hearing this negative talk and is immune to having all that gloom and doom affect him. But it affects most of us.

I started my business during the early 1990's recession and it turns out I'm in good company – Trader Joe's – 1958; MTV – 1981, iPod – 2001.

So in helping you repair or regulate your thermostat of business, there are seven things I've found that top salespeople do during a recession that do not have them falling victim to all the chatter.

Just to summarize the first of the seven actions or beliefs is, "Step away from the negative talk." Take actions that get you away from the gloom and doom. Turn off that TV and radio. Consider signing up for teleclasses to learn about "clearing" or "releasing" techniques. With the pessimistic collective energy swirling around you, it's difficult to stay grounded. Even more so, but still possible, if you are in one of the sectors directly affected.

The second top tip salesperson use during a down economy is, "Flex more marketing muscles." Now is the best time to look at all the ways you get prospects – and start revving up the way that works best for you.

I'm almost glad I'm not all that excited about networking! Have you been to any events lately? Many people just extend and repeat the media gloom and doom. If you like networking, this may be an opportunity to give people a boost. Talk about how good things are or are becoming for you, and how you are achieving this. Here are my top 3 strategies to do this:

1. Take advantage of online tools. Consider boosting article writing, starting or writing more frequently in your blog; Join and participate in two or three social networking websites; Start a podcast or consider a blog talk radio show. The current technology can fit comfortably into the smallest of marketing budgets.

2. Consider attending local community trade shows. Either go as an exhibitor or an attendee. These tend to be more upbeat and there are people spending money to be at them.

3. Hold a public speaking event. Public speaking via workshops gets people in numbers to discover you. Partner up with a friend in a mutually compatible, non-competitive profession and introduce each other to both of your customers. Seek out venues that will put you in front of people who are not just prospects, but to attract people who are still willing to spend money.

Top salespeople have an openness to considering marketing capabilities that might not normally utilize during down economy times. A key is to go wide, go deep and keep going in the direction of where people are investing in what you offer.